


We Can Be a Family

by coneygoil



Category: Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-14
Updated: 2014-08-22
Packaged: 2018-01-08 16:17:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1134809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coneygoil/pseuds/coneygoil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Series of ficlets about Calhoun raising Vanellope as her adopted daughter, and them being befriended by a friendly handyman and his larger than life younger brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My human!AU headcanon involves Calhoun being Vanellope's adopted mom and Brad being her father. It just works for me, for some reason. But as usual, Brad has died, leaving Cal to raise Van on her own and open to forming a relationship with Felix. This series of ficlets (that are out of chronological order) are about that. Cal and Van having an adorable parent/child broship, Felix befriending Cal, and also Van befriending Ralph (who is Felix's younger brother). Hope you enjoy my little ficlets of headcanon!

"I, President Von Schweetz, declare today…wait for…Butt Load of Frosting Day!" Vanellope declared to a row of candy-themed plushies lined across her bed. "Now-" She started pacing in front of her pretend citizens, "the plan is to liberate all the frosting from the kitchen."

Halting in front of a rainbow colored gummy bear and an oversized oreo cookie with googly eyes, she barked pointing a sparkly green baton at the plushies, "Sparky! Creamy! It's your jobs to be the look outs while I infiltrate the kitchen. Got it?!"

The plushies responded by staring straight ahead. Vanellope glared intimidatingly then nodded. "I'll take that as a yes. Move out, troops!"

Pressing herself against the wall, Vanellope snuck stealthily down the hallway. She peeked around the doorway leading into the living room, finding nothing stirring. The kitchen was just a few feet away. She tumbled onto her back and smoothly rolled into the kitchen, jumping to her socked feet as if she were a gymnast. She peeked around the fridge. Again, no sign of life.

Vanellope grinned, deviously. The frosting would be liberated easier than she thought.

Without a sound, she slide her socked feet on the tiled beige floor to the cupboard. She opened the door, reaching up; the frosting was so close she could taste its sweet goodness…

"Stealing rations, cadet?"

Vanellope groaned, spinning on her heel to face the slender, blonde enemy that had a good two and a half feet height advantage on her. "Awww! How'd you know?"

"I'm your mom, princess," Tamora countered, arching an elegant eyebrow. She bent down, clamped a hand on Vanellope's shoulder, and gave her the most intimidating look, "I know everything."

Vanellope huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Surely her mom didn't think the _Look_ would work on her. "That's always your excuse, Sarge."

Tamora stood upright, grabbing for the container of vanilla frosting. "Instead of sneaking it back to your bedroom, why didn't you just ask?"

Vanellope rolled her eyes. Sarge must not have remembered what it was like to be a kid (or was she ever a kid? Vanellope wasn't convinced). Mischief was coded in all kids' DNA. Asking for permission was not. "Because that would of taken the fun out of liberating it. D'oy!"

"Too bad." Grabbing two spoons from the silverware drawer, Tamora jerked her chin to the bar on the far side of the island. "You know the rules. No food in your room. Now get your scrawny behind over here, princess, so I won't eat this whole thing by myself."

Vanellope's lips curled into a grin again. Sarge may have had rules and followed them strictly, but Vanellope knew she had a pretty cool mom.


	2. Night Terrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She could say that "time heals all wounds" or some bull like that, but it still didn't seem possible to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one got kind of angsty, but some of these ficlets will be like that. Some fluff should be coming next post!

The night terrors started a couple months after the car accident. Tamora had bolted from her bed, tearing down the hallway with a pistol clutched in her hand, ready to destroy whatever intruder scaring her adopted daughter. But when she burst into Vanellope's bedroom, there was no intruder.

The 7-year old girl was thrashing arms and legs, the covers kicked nearly off the end of the bed. Tamora rushed to Vanellope's bedside, shushing the little girl. It was obvious she was not awake, but caught up in a night terror. All Tamora could do was scoop the girl against her and hold her still until she calmed.

Vanellope never remembered the terrors or the violent thrashing that accompanied them, but every now and then she'd tell Tamora of the dream she had. The dreams were always similar: her father died no matter if it was from the car accident that took his life or another horrible fate.

This went on for nearly a year. Then the terrors began to subside until Vanellope was finally having a peaceful night's sleep every night.

Two years passed since the accident and Tamora thought the terrors were over for good. She was wrong. She jolted awake around 2 a.m. to Vanellope's horrifying cries. Rushing to the girl's bedroom, she automatically switched to protector mode and snatched Vanellope's flailing limps, smothering the girl against her chest and rocking the terror away.

She was bigger now at 9-years old, having had a growth spurt recently, but Vanellope was still small to Tamora and she easily held the girl until the cries ceased.

Tamora laid her back down, and not wanting to leave her side, curled up above the covers beside her daughter. She was gone before Vanellope woke up that morning. As Vanellope sleepily trekked into the kitchen and plopped down at the kitchen bar, Tamora didn't say a word about her latest episode.

"I dreamed about dad last night," Vanellope told her as Tamora wordlessly placed a tall glass of chocolate milk in front of her. Vanellope eyed her mom suspiciously. She was being far too quiet. "I had one, didn't I?"

Tamora sighed loudly. "You did."

Vanellope frowned. "I thought the terrors were gone."

"I don't think the dreams will ever really go away," Tamora replied, because really, her nightmares and flashbacks of him hadn't gone away either, but be damned if she was going to burden their daughter with that.

Vanellope twisted the glass with her fingertips, focusing all her attention onto it. "I don't think I'll ever stop missing dad."

She could say that "time heals all wounds" or some bull like that, but it still didn't seem possible to her. So Tamora said the only comforting thing that she was ever taught, "All we can do is soldier through it, cadet."


	3. Courting Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What Tamora didn't realize until after they had finished and were saying their goodbyes in the parking lot, is that this was in fact a date.

Their first date was at the ice cream parlor after one of Vanellope's races. Ralph never missed an after race meal, but this time he opted out and the sly glance he shared with Felix was not missed by Tamora. Felix let Vanellope choose the place and she was headset on getting ice cream instead of a regular food. Tamora let it slide this time since it was a race day.

Felix declared they could get anything no matter the cost and Vanellope took full advantage of his generous offer. She'd had her eye on something called the "kitchen sink" for a while now, but Tamora knew it'd be a waste for only two people. With three, they'd have a better chance of finishing at least half of it.

Vanellope exploded with a delighted squeal when the worker brought the gigantic ice cream mountain to their table. It was nearly a head tall with every topping you could think of splattered on it. Vanellope dug in with her spoon, gobbling up her side in record time. Tamora and Felix took smaller bites, sharing commentary about the 'meal'. Vanellope finally stopped eating when she started groaning about her stomach hurting.

"Warned you that would happen, princess," Tamora replied, matter-of-factly.

"I know, but it was worth it," the girl retorted with surprising gusto.

What Tamora didn't realize until after they had finished and were saying their goodbyes in the parking lot, is that this was in fact a date. Or at least Felix's way of courting. He bent down, hugging Vanellope, and the girl squeezed the breath out of him in thank you. When he stood back up, his face was practically glowing as he gazed at Tamora for a long moment. He grasped her hand and leaned up, pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek. Only a fraction over and he would have landed on her lips.

That explained why Wreck-It didn't come and the look him and Felix shared before leaving the racing grounds.

The second "date" occurred the next weekend. Felix had called her up and asked if she and the princess would like to make a trip to the zoo. They had a small zoo in town with several exotic and local animals on exhibit. She'd brought Vanellope once before when the girl's father was still alive, but it wasn't a place she wished to frequent often. Once you saw a tiger (they never changed their stripes), you didn't need to see another for several years, really.

But Vanellope danced around excitedly when Tamora asked her if she wanted to go, so they were going to the zoo.

Felix had picked them up that morning, and treated them to breakfast at Waffle House before heading on to the zoo. Vanellope led the way through the jungle-themed pathways, informing them which animal was in the exhibit they were at. Felix looked like a tourist with a fancy lensed camera around his neck, snapping picture after picture of each animal. He snapped a few of Vanellope every once and a while as she posed in front of a statue or some themed decoration on the pathway.

Tamora was thankful she'd avoided the camera lens until a zoo attendant offered to snap a shot of the three of them together in front of the elephants. Vanellope yanked both of them to stand on either side of her, and reminded Tamora to smile.

"A real smile, Sarge," she ordered as she pulled her mom to the railing. She and Felix had no problem with smiling. They seemed to be bursting with sunshine as the zoo assistant pressed the button.

Even with being forced into a picture, Tamora had a good time and seeing her daughter bubbling over with excitement made her world.

When Felix dropped them off, he leaned into Tamora's space as he did the weekend before and left a lingering kiss on her cheek, so close to her lips if she had turned her head barely an inch, their lips would have met. Tamora was half tempted to do just that to see what kind of reaction she'd ruffle out of Felix, but Vanellope was standing right there and she hadn't discussed the subject of dating with her yet.

Her and Brad never talked about whether they'd move on after one or the other died, but being a military family, their jobs were exceedingly risky and a premature death was likely. Though in Tamora's mind, it was horrific irony that Brad was killed in a car accident and not blown up by a roadside bomb.

That night after their trip to the zoo, Tamora lay awake in bed staring at the ceiling fan and mulling over the possibilities of beginning a romantic relationship with her handyman friend. They'd known each other for a few months now and as dorky as Fix-It could be, it was kind of endearing and sometimes downright adorable.

Tamora shook her head in false shame. How had she fallen for someone that was polar opposite of her late husband? Heck, Felix was polar opposite of her! But he was everything that she could ask for. He was kindhearted and caring and funny in a cheesy sort of way. She enjoyed his smile and his big, round blue eyes.

The most important thing was he was good to her and Vanellope. He'd treated her daughter as a friend just as much as he treated her that way. Vanellope seemed to adore him. They had a lot in common when it came to being playful. But as much as Vanellope liked Felix, that didn't mean she'd be okay with her mom dating him. Only two years had passed since Brad's death. Was that long enough to wait before moving on with someone else?

Tamora decided to ask Vanellope the next morning. If the girl wasn't okay with the idea, Tamora would nip it in the bud quickly. Raising her daughter was more important than having a new relationship.

"What do you think of Felix?" she asked as they sat at the kitchen bar together eating oversized bowls of cereal.

"He's great!" Vanellope answered with a bit too much enthusiasm. "I mean, he's a little dorky, but look at the guy-" she trailed off, stuffing a spoonful of Lucky Charms in her mouth.

"How would you feel if-" Tamora paused, finding it strange to finally acknowledge her desire out loud, "-I started dating him?"

Vanellope's head whipped around to stare at her, wide-eyed for a beat. Tamora was beginning to assume what the girl's answer was, but Vanellope whooped and bounced in her seat, nearly knocking it over. She calmed as she caught Tamora's bewildered expression.

"I give you my permission to date Mr. Fix-it," she answered with the utmost grace.

Tamora was about to ask what the hell just happened, but changed her mind and asked, "So, you're okay with this? You understand that I'm not going to try and replace your dad with him."

Vanellope shrugged. "Don't worry, mom." Tamora's heart leapt at that. Only when the situation was of extremely important or dire did Vanellope call her 'mom'. "I'm fine with it. There's a lotta kids at school who have gone through this. Some of them like their step-parent and others don't. I know Felix is one of the good guys. I knew this might happen sooner or later. I wouldn't mind having Felix around." A huge grin engulfed her face. "If you marry Felix that means Ralph would be my uncle! Uncle Stinkbrain!" she giggled into her bowl.

"No one said anything about marriage, let's get through dating first." Tamora quirked an eyebrow. She knew Vanellope was a smart kid, observant and quick-witted, but she was taking this far too well. "Have you put some thought into this, princess?"

Vanellope sighed dramatically, throwing a hand into the air as if she was surrendering. "Okay, since you dragged it out of me. Remember when Felix picked me up from school a few weeks ago?"

"Yeah." Tamora had given permission for Ralph or Felix to pick her daughter up since she would go over to their house to help work on her go-kart with Ralph and Felix would help her with math homework.

"Well, handyman asked _me_ permission to date you." Vanellope's chest puffed out proudly. "I played coy at first just to let him dangle for a few minutes, but when he said he'd back off and just be friends with you if I wasn't okay with it, I knew he was true blue."

With that, the matter was settled in Tamora's mind. Now all Felix had to do was make his move.

Their next outing was to the movie the next weekend. They'd let Vanellope choose the movie, a cartoon about a bunch of video game characters in an arcade and one goes AWOL or something like that. Tamora only half-paid attention.

Vanellope jumped at the chance to sit on the first row while Felix and Tamora decided on less headache-inducing seats in the back of the theater. They shared popcorn and a few times their hands accidentally collided as they blindly reached for another handful. Every time it happened, Tamora could see Felix's cheeks redden in the glow of the movie light and he would murmur a quick apology which she waved away.

When the popcorn was gone about three-thirds through the movie, Felix gave a small stretch and lowered his arm down on the back of Tamora's seat, his hand hovering just above her shoulder. Tamora rolled her eyes at the teenage-esque move, but wasn't surprised Felix had attempted it.

They left the theater with Vanellope bouncing around them chattering non-stop about how she totally loved the movie. It was getting late, so Felix drove them home and walked them to the front door. Vanellope squeezed the pudding out of him as she always did then ran into the house as if a bear was on her tail.

"Thanks again, Fix-It," Tamora started, anxious to see what he would do this time around. "You're spoiling the princess with all these outings."

Felix shrugged a shoulder, bashfully. "Well, she's a fun kid."

Tamora suddenly closed the gap between them, and stared intensely into his eyes. "When will we leave the princess at home and you take me out on a proper date?"

Felix's whole body froze, whether from her question or how close in proximity she was to him now. He held her gaze for a several moments, starry-eyed. Then with the slight shake of his head, a brilliant smile lite up his face. "How's next Friday night?"

Tamora nodded, pursing her lips as if pondering over the question. "Sounds good."

"It's a date," Felix declared, and he leaned up, pressing a kiss to her cheek as he always did. But right before he made contact with her skin, Tamora turned her head – just in the slightest – and Felix's breath hitched as their lips met for the first time. A moment passed as they began to explore one another, and Tamora sighed blissfully against Felix's lips as she felt his hands caressing her jawline. She hadn't been this close to anyone in a very long time; it felt wonderful and surprisingly relieving as if a burden she hadn't knew she was carrying had dropped away.

They broke apart, only by an inch, their breath huffing in each other's face. "Your aim was off the last times." A smile spread across Tamora's lips. "I had to fix it."

Felix mirrored her smile. "I'll never miss again."


	4. Stare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The most important day of Calhoun's life was when she met little Vanellope Anna-Maria Scott for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really enjoying writing the relationship between Calhoun and Vanellope. This is when they meet for the first time.

For Tamora Jean Calhoun, the most important of her life was not when she entered the military or ranked to Sergeant or even when she married her late husband. No, the most important day of her life was when she met little Vanellope Anna-Maria Scott for the first time.

She was outside her Sergeant's office one Saturday organizing paperwork when Brad walked through the door. She'd known Brad for a couple years, both being placed in the same squadron upon arrival at Camp Lejeune. She glanced up, offering a small smile to her fellow marine, and noticed Brad had brought a sidekick.

"Corporal Scott."

"Corporal Calhoun."

"Who do you have here?" Calhoun asked, offering a friendly smile to the tiny girl on Brad's hip. From her dark, nearly black hair pulled into a messy ponytail to her large hazel eyes that gleaned with curiosity to her button nose, this kid was the pentacle of cuteness. But not being much of a kid person, Calhoun was only mildly taken in by her.

"This," Brad bounced his daughter and the girl squeaked in delight, "is my baby girl, Vanellope."

Calhoun veered around the desk to stand closer to them. "How old are you, kiddo?"

The girl just stared at her, wide-eyed, but showed none of the usual fear kids had when they meet a stranger. "18 months already," Brad answered for her, "I can't believe how fast time flies."

Calhoun nodded in agreement, though she didn't really understand it coming from a parent's point of view.

"I need to ask the Sergeant a question; can you watch Vanellope for a moment?"

"Uh-" Calhoun's mouth hung open for a second. "Okay," she replied, hesitantly.

"Thanks, Calhoun." With an appreciative smile, Brad handed the little girl over to her and disappeared into the adjoining office, leaving Calhoun dumbstruck. She'd never held a child in her life, but here was a young toddler hanging from her hip.

There's a first for everything, she thought pulling back to peer at the kid, who was staring a hole into her head.

"You got one hell of a stare on you, kid," Calhoun remarked then tensed when she realized a certain word she had used. "Don't go around repeating that word, okay?" Vanellope cocked her head slightly in response. "Good. We have an agreement.

"I'm Corporal Calhoun," she offered, trying to cover the extreme awkwardness she was feeling at the moment with something; anything to get the kid to do something other than stare at her! "But you can call me T.J. if that's easier. I mean, I guess you can talk."

A smile spread across the little girl's face, dimpling her chubby pink cheeks. She reached out a small hand and grasped Calhoun's bangs, and she was surprised at how gently the girl held her hair. "You petty," said a little voice.

Calhoun blinked. "Um…thank you."

Vanellope raised her other hand, touching the woman's cheek with her fingertips. Calhoun pulled back trying to avoid the contact, but stopped herself. She'd been to Afghanistan, through war torn cities, fought side by side with her comrades…and now faced with a toddler, she felt awkward and a bit frightened.

"So," Calhoun tried again to fill in the empty quiet space, "Sorry to hear about your mom leaving. From what your dad said, she sounded like a crazy-" she stopped before mentioning another unspeakable word around the toddler. Vanellope just stared straight into her face, smiling contentedly.

Calhoun glanced down at the desk, catching sight of her green field cap. Kids liked wearing hats too big for them, didn't they? She snatched it up and presented it to the girl. "Want this?"

Vanellope's eyes lit up as she grabbed the cap, plopping it onto her head. It fell over her eyes and stuck up in the back from her ponytails. She held it up with both her little hands, giggling.

Calhoun let out a sigh of relief as the girl played with the cap. Vanellope occupied herself by pulling the cap over her eyes then yanking it up while saying "boo!". After a minute of that, she placed it on Calhoun's head, playing the same game.

It was just about the time Calhoun was starting to relax around the playful little toddler that Brad reappeared. "Did she behave herself?"

Calhoun nodded, giving Vanellope a little bounce on her hip, scoring a pleased smile from Brad. "Yeah. She's an okay kid."

As she said goodbye to them both, Corporal Tamora Jean Calhoun never would have guessed that 6 years from now she'd be a widowed mom raising that same little girl as her daughter.


	5. Iced In

Tamora told Felix they'd be fine. But after the news reporting how this polar vortex would be like "snowmageden", Felix had firmly yet gently (as only he could) insisted that he and Ralph stay the night.

"Don't wanna stay up worrying about my girls," he had said over the phone. Tamora thought the concern was sweet but unnecessary. She was more than capable of taking care of herself and Vanellope in an ice storm, but she knew the handyman would be true to his word and be up worrying the entire night, possibly calling every hour to check up on them. So, she gave in and thirty minutes later, the brothers were knocking on her side door with duffle bags in tow.

Vanellope was beyond ecstatic that Felix and Ralph would be there the whole night, and she began conjuring plans for all the activities they were going to do for this cool sleepover, as she put it. "Bedtime is still at 10, cadet," her mom informed and Vanellope pouted in protest. Her bedtime disappointment didn't deter her from practically dragging the hulking man to the den to play Kingdom Harts on her Wii gaming system.

Felix immediately started investigating the house for preparation for the approaching ice storm. Again, Tamora informed him she'd wrapped every pipe and covered every hose faucet, but Felix wanted to check it out just in case. It's not that he didn't trust her judgment, Tamora knew; he wanted to take care of her and if checking on the pipes made him feel like he was doing just that then she'd let it go.

Vanellope's bedtime came too quicker for her and she begged to stay up just one more hour. Tamora was feeling compliant, especially after letting Felix do his thing, and Vanellope nearly knocked her over in an attack hug when she said she could stay up an extra hour. It was a snow day tomorrow after all.

While her daughter and Ralph continued their game, she and Felix sat at the kitchen bar drinking the hot cocoa Felix had whipped up before coming over. A mug and chat later, it was Vanellope's bedtime and Tamora went off to wrangle the energetic girl into bed. She would be sleeping in her mom's bed while Ralph slept in Vanellope's full-sized bed since he was too big for the couch. Felix would be claiming that as a resting place.

"The princess and Wreck-it are all tucked in," Tamora remarked as she made her way into the living room.

"Did Ralph give you any trouble?" Felix chuckled, playing along. It was a pretty funny thought of Tamora tucking in the hulking grown man.

Tamora plopped down next to Felix on the couch. "He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow."

Felix slid an arm around his girlfriend's shoulder, tugging her gently to him. A pleased smile crossed Tamora's lips as she tucked herself into Felix's side and he planted a kiss atop her head. They sat there for several minutes enjoying each other's warmth listening to the fireplace crackling softly.

"This is nice," Felix said, breaking the companionable silence.

"Yeah."

They'd cuddled before, but this felt different to Tamora. This felt intimate. She sighed silently, wrapping around Felix's middle, rubbing her cheek on the softness of his worn white t-shirt. Tamora still wondered how this small, beanpole of a man with his cute southern accent and old-fashioned ways could have won her over so easily. But really, it didn't matter how because she was happy; truly happy with this wonderful man whether she admitted to herself or not just yet.

Felix touched her chin, raising her face to his and pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. They'd come so far in the past few months. Felix had been so careful around her, mostly letting Tamora lead the intimacy, but lately he had relaxed increasingly and his newfound confidence warmed Tamora in places that hadn't felt anything in quite some time.

They continued their gentle exploration, taking advantage of the unlimited time. They had all night to revel in each other's embrace. Felix's free hand roamed Tamora's flannel-clad thigh, squeezing lightly. Tamora sighed against his lips, fingernails grazing his chest. They could have done this till the sun rose, but Tamora knew activity such as this could easily lead to more than what they could do seated on her couch in the living room with her daughter so close by.

They settled down against each other, content to be entangled in a pile of arms and legs. They would be stiff and sore in the morning, but it didn't matter. Tonight, they were given leeway for the first time to simply hold each other throughout the night and they were definitely going to take advantage of the situation.

As Tamora drifted into sleep, she felt Felix's arms squeeze her gently and in her sleepy haze she could have sworn she heard him murmur, "I love you, Tammy."

WIRWIRWIRWIR

The first thing Tamora registered was the ache in her neck. A deep groan escaped her lips, and she realized she was laying on something firmer than a pillow. She raised her head and the aching was forgotten at the sight of Felix sleeping form beside her. Somehow in their sleep they had shifted to lying on the couch, Felix on his back and Tamora on her side, back pressed against the cushions and her front…well. Her knee rested on a very private area along his pants that was a bit hard.

"Felix," she sing-sang lowly, placing her palm flat on his chest and fingertips tickling through his t-shirt.

Felix sighed blissfully at his name being called, his hand covering hers. A sleepy smile spread across his lips and two eyes cracked open. "Mornin', Tammy."

"Must be a good morning for you," Tamora remarked, rubbing her knee against his pants.

Pink bloomed on Felix's cheeks instantly at the revelation. Tamora could tell he was about to apologize when a voice froze them solid.

"You two slept on the couch?" Vanellope stood in the doorway, hands planted on her youthful hips. "That must have been extremely uncomfortable!"

A red flush as deep as a ripe tomato swept over Felix's whole face. Tamora hid her amused - and slightly embarrassed smile – behind her long bangs. As if it couldn't get worse, Ralph lumbered up behind Vanellope, running a massive hand through his unruly hair. His eyes widened at the display on the couch. Felix cleared his throat, quickly untangling from Tamora.

"C'mon, lazybones!" Vanellope ordered, scampering past them, unfazed by it all. "There's snow to go play in!"

With that, Vanellope rushed into the kitchen to retrieve her galoshes, still clad in her flannel pajamas. Tamora was too pre-occupied with matters to really take note.

Ralph strolled past them wearing a knowing smile. "Don't let me interrupt."

Tamora was amazed Felix's face hadn't spontaneously combusted yet. "All we did was sleep," he squeaked out desperately.

Ralph only nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. "I'm making coffee, Sarge!" he called.

"Okay!" Tamora was about to tell him where to find the coffee canister, but remembered it was already on the counter next to the coffeemaker. "Make it strong, Wreck-it!"

A large thumb poked out the kitchen doorway. "Got it!"

Tamora felt a hand touch her back and she turned to face Felix, the red starting to subside from his skin now that the onlookers had moved along. She slapped a hand down on his thigh, giving it a good squeeze. "We made it through the ice storm, Fix-it."

"Yeah." Felix fingertips tickled Tamora's waist. "I gotta admit, Tammy. That was some of the best sleep."

Tamora snorted. "If you enjoy waking up with a neck ache."

"If it means waking up with you." Felix leaned over, pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek.

Tamora playfully rolled her eyes at the sentiment and was about to make Felix's morning even better with a real kiss when shuffling of heavy rubber interrupted them. "You're still on the couch?!"Vanellope said, exasperated. She pointed to the window. "Get out there before everything melts!" She ran off again, and they heard her commanding Ralph to put down the coffee and join her.

As she stepped outside to join Vanellope, Felix, and Ralph, Tamora realized what had been missing from their house for far too long: a complete family.


	6. Single Red Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little ficlet for Valentine's Day! It's based off me and my husband's first VD together. I always wanted a guy to give me a single rose and he presented it to me in our church's parking lot and I freaked out with excitement :D

Valentine's Day happened to fall a few weeks after Felix and Tamora started dating – if you didn't count the weeks of courting of both mother and daughter. With just 3 weeks of tentatively getting to know one another on an intimate level, they both weren't sure how to celebrate the infamous day of love.

They finally settled on meeting at the closest Waffle House for coffee and waffles. It was really the least romantic place they could have chosen, but the place didn't matter. They were together and chatting over coffee and sharing a waffle smothered in butter, syrup, and whipped topping. Felix even sunk a few quarters in the supped-up jukebox, "Love Me Tender" by Elvis sounding through the monotone speakers on the ceiling.

A couple hours later, it was time to head out after leaving a generous tip for the young waitress who tried her best to keep their mugs tipped off and suggesting more food than they could eat.

"Hold on one sec," Felix said as they returned to their vehicles. He scurried to the passenger side of his pick-up truck and came back with something behind his back, an excited grin across his face. "I know we agreed not to buy each other anything, but I saw this and it reminded me of you and I really wanted to-"

"Just give it to me, Fix-it," Tammy interjected. She knew he'd go on for 10 minutes if she didn't stop him.

Felix paused for a moment, gazing straight into her eyes with a twinkle in his. He presented her with a single red rose. Tamora sucked in a breath, staring at the rose in awe. It wasn't like her be moved by something so simple, but this wasn't just a rose to her.

Felix took her silence as a bad sign and began to fidget as his smile waned. "I know it's probably too soon-"

"It's perfect," Tamora spilled out, and the most brilliant smile spread her face. She accepted the rose, appraising it. It was a rich red with blood red speckles spattered on its pedals. "My dad would buy me a single red rose for Valentine's Day every year when I was growing up. Just a single rose has always been more special to me than getting anything else. My late husband always bought me bouquets. I never had the heart to tell him he didn't have to." She chuckled softly. "Here you go buying me what I wanted." Tamora leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to Felix's cheek. "Thanks, Fix-it."

"I'm happy you like it, ma'am." Felix grasped her hand, entangling his fingers with hers, swinging their joined hands a little. "Thank you for being my valentine."

Between his adorable smile and the way he called her his valentine, Tamora couldn't help but close the gap between them and show Felix how happy she was that he was her valentine's as well.


	7. How To Bake a Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanellope and her mom bake a cake for the first time together.

It was hard going back to a normal daily life after Vanellope's dad passed, but her mom was determined to make it happen. When the Sarge asked what she'd like to do one Saturday, Vanellope jumped at the chance to bake a cake.

"That was always your dad's thing," said Sarge, a regretful note in her voice. Even with his tough, marine exterior, Brad had a bit of a homemaker streak. Having 3 older sisters growing up and raising a daughter as a single father contributed to that.

"Yeah." The 7-year old agreed, frowning. She looked up at her mom, touching her arm comfortingly. "But you can learn!" She snatched the cake mix box and pointed to the pictures on the back. "Look, it's really easy. All you do is mix these 3 ingredients with the cake mix and wala! We have a cake!"

Sarge scrunched her face up. "I don't think it's as easy as that."

"Well, we're not gonna get anywhere unless we try," Vanellope pointed out, sweeping a hand to present the kitchen.

Sarge glanced over the ingredients with determination then smiled at her daughter. "Mission on, cadet."

Vanellope squealed, hopping off the step-stool she had pushed against the cabinets. She retrieved the eggs and butter from the fridge while Sarge pulled out the mixer and measured the half cup of water they needed.

Vanellope clapped her hands together as she announced, "Here we go!"

Sarge let her pour all the ingredients and even allowed her to crack the eggs, much to Vanellope's delight. They had to fish out a few pieces of shell with a spoon, which Sarge joked the shell would just add a crunch to the cake.

"Is the mix supposed to be that clumpy?" Sarge asked after they had mixed the cake batter for exactly 2 minutes like the instructions worded.

Vanellope pulled a face. "It was always smooth when me and dad made it."

"Easy my tush," Sarge hissed under her breath as if the cake had wronged her.

Vanellope just shrugged, and proceeded to soak the two round cake pans with butter spray. They worked together pouring the batter into the pans, Sarge holding the bowl as Vanellope scrapped the batter out with a spatula.

With the timer set, they on the kitchen counter side by side licking away the remaining batter from the bowl, spatula, and beaters. Vanellope squealed as Sarge scooped up a finger of batter and whipped it on her cheek. She did the same to Sarge as she grinned ear to ear. Sarge narrowed her eyes, and Vanellope was off with a shot as her mom chased her around the kitchen.

So much had changed since Sarge became a part of their family a few years back. Her dad was always precise about how to do everything. He was loving and playful, but a bit of a perfectionist and neat freak. Sarge was only strict and to-the-book when it came to her job as a marine sergeant. At home, she was relaxed and didn't care if there were clothes lying in a pile on the floor. Sarge and her dad had clashed a few times about their different home lives, but they'd found a way to finally have a content medium.

The timer dinged and Sarge pulled the pans out. Vanellope suggested checking the middle with a toothpick. The toothpick came out clean. "I guess it's done?"

Vanellope shrugged again. "We'll find out when we eat it."

It seemed the cake baking had gone pretty smooth so far until Sarge couldn't figure out how to remove the cake from the pan. "How the heck-" She tried sticking a fork under it, but couldn't get the cake raised enough and burned her fingers in the process, leading to a string of incoherent swear words that made Vanellope giggle.

The only other way they could think about getting the layers out was to turn the pans over and dump them on the counter. The first layer came out clean and Sarge gently set it on the cake holder. They didn't have the same luck with the second layer. It fell out the pan, splitting in two. Sarge stared at it mouth open catching flies, then another string of incoherent swear words flew out of her mouth.

"Now what do we do?" Sarge asked then groaned as she remembered she was asking a 7-year old.

Vanellope tapped her chin for a moment then snapped her fingers. "Let's glue the pieces together with frosting! That way, there will be even more frosting to eat!"

Sarge rolled her eyes. Somehow it always came down to adding more sugar to anything consumed.

They pieced together the two halves with the chocolate frosting then spread the frosting over the entire cake. They stood back admiring their work.

"I have to say," Sarge said as she sliced into the cake, plopping a huffy piece onto Vanellope's plate, "looks like we did a pretty satisfactory job."

Vanellope bounced on the balls of her socked feet, accepting the generous slice. "Next time we can make homemade frosting!"

Sarge paused the knife halfway through the cake. "Negatory, cadet." She finished cutting her slice. "Let's not push our luck just yet."

Vanellope shrugged, happily devouring the yummy treat.

A loud crunch came from Sarge as she chowed down on the first bite. She pushed out the misplaced shell with her tongue into a napkin. "There's the crunch."


	8. Fix-It Hardware and Repair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tamora and Vanellope met Felix and Ralph for the first time.

The front bathroom flooded. How? Tamora couldn't tell. All she knew was that when she and Vanellope arrived home Friday evening from Pizza Hut, there was water pooled on the bathroom floor and the vanity was most likely shot from water damage.

Off to the local hardware store they went the next morning. It was a fairly large store for being locally owned, and Tamora had heard they also had a repair business on top of that.

With Vanellope trailing behind, the girl wide-eyed and gazing around curiously, Tamora strode through the automatic sliding door with an air of determination in her step. The first employee she spotted, at least she figured it was an employee by his attire, was a fairly short man staking wooden planks in the lumber aisle.

"Excuse me, sir."

The man glanced over his shoulder then turned around, greeting them with the most cheerful smile Tamora had ever seen. "Good day, ma'am!" he said, tipping the bill of his blue hat. "How can I help you?"

"My bathroom had an accident last night," Tamora replied with the utmost seriousness. The man's bewildered expression at her wording didn't phase her any. "A pipe or something busted, and I'm pretty sure the vanity is shot. I heard you do repair work?"

"Yes, ma'am!" the man responded with incomparable enthusiasm. He must really like his job. "We do contracting work. Anything you need! They don't call me Fix-It just for the fun of it."

Tamora narrowed her eyes. "Are you the owner, by chance?"

"Indeedy, I am, ma'am." A proud smile spread the man's face and with hands resting on his hips, his stature seemed to rise a little higher. "Felix Findlay, Jr., otherwise known around town as Fix-it Felix."

Tamora vaguely recalled the name from various people and places around town. She hadn't really given the name a face, but this definitely was not what she would have imagined. "I need an estimate on how much it'll cost to replace the vanity and the pipe to be repaired."

"I have time after lunch if you don't mind me stopping by to take a look."

"That'll be fine." Tamora nodded.

Felix drew out his phone from his back pocket and tinkered on it for a moment. "I'll need your address to set in my GPS."

Tamora gave him the address, which was only about ten minutes away. She watched as Felix tapped it into his phone. Hopefully this watery ordeal would be fixed soon.

"There's one more piece of information I need," Felix added as he pocketed his phone. Tamora waited, expectantly. "May I ask your name, ma'am?"

That's right. She had completely forgotten to introduced herself; the need to get down to business being the only thing on her mind. She eyed the handyman's unyielding smile contemplatively, and vaguely matched it with the small curve of her lips. "T.J. Calhoun."

***

Vanellope decided the lumber aisle just wasn't exciting enough. She couldn't even remember the last time they set foot in a hardware store. She needed to explore!

There wasn't a whole lot of interesting things in this place. She'd spotted an aisle with toilets and sinks and whatnot and wanted to check that out. As she passed a large corkboard on a rolling stand, a picture caught her attention. A clipart image of a racecar and a checkered flag was printed on a flyer. She immediately started reading.

"Kids ages 8-12 need apply." Vanellope's eyes widened. "Hot dog! I'm 9!" She snatched the flyer off the corkboard to examine it closer. "See Fix-It's store owner for more details."

She peered around searching for an employee and caught sight of one behind the checkout counter. You couldn't miss the guy. He stood at least 6 and a half feet tall and looked as if his shoulders were just as broad as his height. "Excuse me, my good man, but where can I find the store owner?"

The hulking man raised his eyes from the comic book he was currently engrossed in. "Excuse me, kid?"

"Are you thick?" She pulled a face, taking a page from her mom. She continued at a slower pace. "I need to speak to the store owner, jumbo."

He stared at her, utter bewilderment on his face, until he noticed the flyer in her hand. "You asking about the racing?"

"Yes!" Vanellope huffed. The owner must have hired this guy out of pity or something. "Now please get me the owner. I'll be a teenager by the time I speak to him at this rate!"

The giant chuckled deep within his chest, causing Vanellope to wonder what was so funny. He leaned a ham hock-sized arm on the counter and pointed a thumb to himself. "I'm the store owner."

Vanellope glanced around as if checking for a candid camera."Funny, giganto. Now where is he?"

The man straightened to full height, towering over the little girl, annoyance edging his tone. "Right here, kid. The name's Ralph."

"Okay…Ralph," Vanellope still didn't seem convinced. She slapped the flyer onto the counter. "I wanna race. Give me all the details: when, where, how, what, why."

"You?" Now it was Ralph who didn't seem convinced. He lumbered around the counter to stand in front of her. They looked like a modern David and Goliath. Ralph leaned a flattened hand above Vanellope, the hand being bigger than her entire head. "You're kinda small."

"So!" Vanellope crossed her arms, defiantly. "That doesn't mean I can't race. I am 9, doi!" She hopped into action, pretending a stirring wheel was in her hand and raced circles around hulking store owner. "I love to race! Just get me on that track and I'll show ya!"

Ralph still looked skeptical, but shrugged a massive shoulder. "Well, you need permission from your parents first and-"

"Wait here!" Vanellope shot off in a flash, dark ponytail a blur behind her.

"SARGE!" Vanellope's voice ripped through the lumber aisle. Tamora whipped around, wondering what in blazes her daughter needed (or wanted). Vanellope skidded to a halt. Tamora grabbed the girl's shoulder steadying her before she tumbled over from the sudden stop.

"What is so important that you had to-"

Vanellope pushed a piece of paper up at her mom's face. "I wanna-" she gasped for a deep breath, "race!"

Tamora skimmed over the flyer. "Racing go-karts?"

"Oh!" Felix chimed in, tapping the flyer's tip. "My brother is involved in that. He's looking for a young man or young lady to manage. He's in the process of restoring a kart right now."

"Sarge!" Vanellope bounced, excitement flooding out of her. "You know how much I love racing!"

"But this is actual driving racing, Van. You've never even driven a go-kart before."

"Hey!" an unfamiliar voice called out. Tamora's gazed rose and fell on a giant of a man wearing brown overalls (did they make overalls that big?) and a burnt orange shirt underneath. "Are you this kid's mom?"

"Yes," Tamora answered tersely, having a feeling Vanellope had been caught sitting on the selection of toilets a few aisles down and probably joked about taking a 'doody'.

"This is the guy in charge of the racing!" Vanellope announced, grabbing Ralph's hand as if she'd known him forever, and dragged him the rest of the way with surprising strength.

"Miss Calhoun, this is my brother, Ralph" Felix introduced.

Vanellope's eyes bugged out. "Your brother!" Her eyes flitted from Felix to Ralph a few times. "Like literally? Like you both shared the same mom's tummy?"

"Not at the same time, little lady. But yep, same mom and same dad," Felix confirmed.

"Geez louise, I didn't think that was even possible!"

Tamora yanked her daughter against her, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Okay, back to discussing this racing thing. Explain to me exactly what it entails?" she asked Ralph. He went on to explain how the league worked. Races were held every month and if you win a certain amount of races, you'll be able to enter the state championship and then nationals. He owned a kart and had a spot set in the league; all Ralph needed was a kid to drive.

The explanation only took a few minutes with Ralph just giving the basic info. Tamora listened for her daughter's sake, but she already had her doubts on the idea. "I'm not sure this is for you, Van. You have to learn how to drive a go-kart."

"But Sarge!" Determination was written all over Vanellope's face. "I know I'm a racer!" She started driving the invisible stirring wheel again. "I can feel it in my code."

"She definitely has the enthusiasm for it," Felix commented admiringly. Tamora rolled her eyes. She didn't need a stranger encouraging her daughter if she wasn't certain she'd give permission yet.

A small hand touched Tamora's elbow. She peered down into her daughter's big hazel eyes, regretting it instantly. If there was one thing that cut through her ironhide marine armor, it was Vanellope's puppy eyes. "Mom." Oh no. She was pulling out the big guns. "Please."

Tamora groaned, tearing her gaze from her daughter, only to connect with the handyman who seemed to be pleading with his own round, blue eyes. The only one who seemed indifferent was the Hulk. She sighed in resolve. "Okay."

Vanellope squealed, dancing around the three adults. "I can race! I can race! I can race!" She seized Ralph's hand and pulled him away with that surprising strength again. "You need to tell me all about it, jumbo," she said as they disappeared around the corner.

"Your daughter is a friendly little honeybee," Felix's comment broke the silence that had formed as they watched the two walk away.

Tamora snorted. "She didn't get that from me."

Felix chuckled. "Her dad then?"

"In a way." Tamora shook her head, thankful for the long bangs shielding her eyes. "He was more of a people person than me."

"Was?" Felix inquired softly, picking up on the word.

"We lost him a couple years ago," Tamora replied quietly.

The warmth and compassion exuding from the handyman's eyes frustrated her. Tamora Calhoun wasn't one for sentiment. "I'm so sorry, ma'am."

"Thanks." This was not a subject she wished to discuss with anyone, especially a man she just met. Only one person she'd talk to about Brad and that was their daughter.

Felix seemed to pick up on her reluctance. His smile returned, though softer now. "If you don't mind me prying, Miss Calhoun, but why did your daughter call you 'Sarge'?"

His genuine curiosity almost made Tamora chuckle, relieved to change the subject. "It's a long story."

"Well, I'd like to hear that story some time."

"Maybe later." Tamora wasn't one for acting coy, but there was something about this friendly handyman that drew it out of her. She stuck her thumb in the direction Vanellope and Ralph ventured to. "I better retrieve Miss Princess before your brother changes his mind about wanting to manage her. See you this afternoon for the estimate."

Felix tipped his hat. "Yes, ma'am."


	9. Dress for the Occasion

"What about this one?"

Tamora eyed the silky navy blue pencil dress that Vanellope had pointed to. She groaned, grabbing it off the rack and headed into the dressing room with her daughter in tow. They were out dress shopping and Tamora was hating it! The only dress hanging in her closet was a basic little black number, and she hadn't even worn that in almost 3 years. Things change, meaning – Felix had come into her life. Wanting to at least try to dress up for their dates, she begrudgingly set foot in the local mall.

Tamora slipped into the pencil dress just knowing it would look horrible. But when she glanced in the mirror, it actually was a bit flattering (of course, she didn't want to admit it since flattery did not charge her batteries, person or dress!).

Tamora slid palms along her hips, the cool silk something she was definitely not used to. It insinuated her curves in just the right places. She made eye contact with Vanellope behind her in the mirror. "I think this'll do. Good job, kiddo."

Her daughter beamed. "Felix is gonna love it! But really, I think he wouldn't care what you wore or even if you weren't wearing anything at all."

Tamora bit down a chuckle at Vanellope's words. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind me wearing anything either."


	10. Nail and Polish

Felix knew his wife was as far from a girly girl as the sun was from the Earth. She only wore a dress if they were going out to a fancy restaurant. If it were her decision, she'd probably wear combat boots with said dress, which would be fine with Felix. He loved her uniqueness, and to be honest, he thought her beautiful even if she was covered from head to toe in sludge.

The closest to make up she wore was eyeliner and a bit of foundation. Felix secretly wished she'd skip the foundation. Her freckles were so darn cute and he delighted in counting them on the mornings when they could just lounge in bed, oblivious to the sun rising.

So, it was a surprise one day when Felix came home early to catch Tamora painting her toe nails.

Vanellope wore nail polish sometimes, when she was in the mood. The colors were usually bright and glittery, reflecting the girl's personality. One time when she and Felix were home alone, she somehow wrangled him into her painting his nails (how could he say no to her puppy eyes). She'd picked the color: a glittery Carolina blue to match his work shirt, of course. Tamora couldn't stop laughing the rest of the night after she saw the impromptu manicure, much to Felix's embarrassment. He was thankful he always wore gloves at work.

Tamora was sitting on the couch, foot propped up on the coffee table. Felix halted, and quietly watched her slowly and meticulously swiping the tiny brush over each nail, coloring her toes shiny true blue sheen.

A contented smile crossed Felix's face and he had the urge to capture the moment. Carefully, he slipped the cell phone off his belt, muted it, and snapped a picture of his lovely wife. He knew she'd give him the stare down if she caught him, and he was exactly right when Tamora's narrowed gaze suddenly met his eyes.

Felix's cheeks shone brightly as he hurried to hide the phone behind his back.

"Fix-it," Tamora began, voice sharp as a knife, "Don't you dare share that snapshot with anyone."

Felix saluted. "Yes, ma'am. It is safe in my phone; for my eyes only."

She glared at him for a good, long moment then growled, "It better stay that way."

Felix strolled over to her, taking a seat on the coffee table next to her propped foot. "What inspired you to paint your toes?" He tickled the bottom of her foot a little, making Tamora squirm.

"I used to wear it when I was a teenager," Tamora replied, shrugging. "Just felt like doing something different."

Felix stared admiringly at her shiny blue toenails. "Well, it's as pretty as a clear summer sky, Tammy." The compliment earned an eye roll from the receiver. "If you don't mind me askin', why this color?"

She paused to answer as a rare pretty shade of pink crept onto her cheeks. "It reminds me of you."

Felix beamed. "Awwww…Tammy Jean."

"Don't."

Felix laughed, gesturing to the unfinished foot that Tamora was working on when he was caught watching her. "May I?"

Tamora lounged back against the couch cushions. "Whatever steams your train, short stack." With a grin, Felix nabbed the bottle of nail polish and getting to work.


	11. Don't Let 'em See You Cry

Felix rushed through the emergency room doors, barely giving the automatic glass opening a chance to slide open enough for him to fit through. The receptionist glanced up from the brightly lit computer screen she was tapping away at as Felix came to a halt in front of the desk.

"I'm looking for Vanellope Scott," he huffed between breathes then the words tumbled out of him as the receptionist checked her patient list, barely blinking an eye at his panic-stricken face. "Ten year old little girl, dark hair, was in a go-kart accident."

"Down that hall, through the doors," she instructed evenly, pointing to the left, "Exam room 8."

"Thank you, ma'am!" With that, Felix was off with a shot.

Thirty minutes ago, he received a call from his younger brother that their little racer had steered her kart off the track taking a turn too sharply and flipped the kart on its side while trying to brake. It was only a practice run, thankfully not an actual race, but that didn't make a difference to Tamora, he knew. Ralph didn't give any details over the phone of how Tamora was handling the accident, but Felix knew she was probably torn up on the inside.

He found exam room 8 and didn't even bother to knock. Every head in the room turned to him as he barreled through the door. "Vanellope, are you all right?" he asked, focusing on the girl first. She sat on the bed, arm held close to her chest in a sling.

"I'm fine, Felix," she replied as he gently gave her a side hug. "I get to wear a sling! How cool is that?" He chuckled softly. Vanellope's resilience always left him in awe.

He turned to his fiancée who stood solid as a statue at the end of the bed. Her lips were drawn downward into a frown, arms crossed over her chest - a built-in shield she wore. It seemed she was the one in need of comfort.

Felix moved beside her, pulling her by the shoulder to lean against him. "You okay, Tammy?"

Tamora scowled. "I'm fine," she said curtly and averted his comfort by moving to the side of the bed Felix had just occupied. "Just a clean break of her collarbone and a few scrapes and bruises."

"You should have seen the kid," Ralph intercepted, sounding proud. "She got out the kart herself after flipping over and didn't even shed a tear."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," Vanellope put in, admiring her sling. "Every racer has to crash at some point."

Tamora suddenly inhaled deeply as if she had been holding her breath for several moments. "I'm going to see what's taking the doctor so long to discharge you." She strode out the room before anyone could say a word.

Felix looked concerned at Ralph. "How's she holding up?"

Ralph shook his head, sadly. "She kept her cool the entire time, expect when she saw Vanellope flip over." He glanced down at the girl, whose small hand rested on his forearm. He cupped her head gently with his huge hand. "Now I know what a bloodcurdling scream sounds like in real life."

"Oh my land…" Felix mouth hung open at the statement. Tamora was the strongest person he knew, but if her daughter would have been injured badly, she would have crumpled into a heap for sure.

Tamora came back after a good while, holding a syrofoam cup of coffee and wearing the same scowl she left with. She had already visited the discharge desk and said everything had been squared away. They all trekked to the ER parking lot. Ralph had driven the girls to the hospital and promised to drop off Tamora's Yukon later. Felix already decided to take off the rest of the day from work and stay with them until bedtime. They piled in his old blue Chevy truck, the ride home almost unbearably quiet with Tamora's simmering mood radiating through the cab.

She sent Vanellope to her bedroom to rest, though the energetic girl protested otherwise. But Tamora wasn't having it and Felix noticed the silent resolve on Vanellope's face as she retreated to her room.

Left alone with his fiancee, Felix was at a loss for words to say to her. She was stone cold as she brushed past him to her bedroom, reappearing with ace bandages wrapped around her knuckles. "Where are you going?" he asked, scampering after her when she still gave him the silent treatment.

"The garage," she answered and Felix sighed in relief that she finally said something to him. "The punching bag has been sitting dormant for far too long."

He'd seen the punching bag in her garage before and never thought anything of it. He'd assumed it belonged to Tamora's late husband, but now that he thought about it, it wasn't farfetched at all that it was actually Tammy's instead.

Felix bolted to help her as the former marine hoisted the 50 pound bag up to the chain that still hung from the garage ceiling. He barely had a hold on it as Tamora lifted then latched the bag on the chain. She was far stronger than he'd realized! Or maybe that was just the raw emotion trapped inside her.

She began punching the bag with such force it swayed at every powerful blow. Felix watched for a long moment slightly taken aback once again at how strong his fiancée really was. Unsure of what to do or say, he shuffled his feet and fiddled with his cap. Finally, he cleared his throat and commented, "I guess Vanellope won't be able to race for a while."

The pounding of the bag halted and the quiet was deafening, only Tamora's heavy breathing filling it. Felix froze and for the first time, feared the woman he loved. She raised her head, eyes burning through her long bangs and growled, "She's never racing again."

"But she-"

"I mean it, Fix-it." Tamora side-stepped the punching bag to tower in front of him. "I can't lose her!" She whirled away from him, back rising and falling heavily.

It finally clicked.

The car accident that took her late husband's life and could have easily taken hers and Vanellope's as well. The girl had become Tamora's entire life. If anything ever happened to her, Tamora would lose herself completely.

Felix wasn't a parent and he didn't want to dictate how Tamora raised her daughter, but there were some things that needed to be politely challenged. "But Tammy, what are you going to do when Vanellope starts driving?" He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat at Tamora's steely glare, his hands wringing together. He continued with less confidence, but knew it had to be said, "She's growing up. Taking away something she loves won't solve anything. You can't protect her forever."

Felix barely registered what had happened when he found his back slammed against the wall, the air knocked out of him. Tamora glared hotly down at him, her hand fisted in his collar.

"You have no idea what I have done, Felix!"

Felix's shock switched to confusion at her words. "What are you talking about, Tammy?"

Her chest heaved and enraged features began to fall as the fire in her eyes glowed to embers. She swallowed hard, releasing Felix's collar and turning away. Felix reached a hand to her shoulder, pausing just above it.

"Tamora?"

A long, agonizing beat then in a tiny, miserable voice that Felix never imagined could come from her, "I killed my husband."

"Pardon me?"

Tamora's arms encircled her chest, bringing up that protective shield. She didn't face him. "I was driving the night of the accident. It was late and a long trip and I fell asleep behind the wheel." She took a shuddering breath. "I should not have been so stupid to keep driving when I knew I was tired, but my stubbornness told me I should soldier through it; that I'd been without sleep for 48 hours before, I could get through 4 more hours on the road."

She turned around, head bowed and face hidden behind a fringe of blonde bangs. A teardrop slid down her nose and dripped onto her arm. Felix felt his eyes dampen and his heart rip into pieces at the sight of Tamora so broken.

"Brad entrusted me with his daughter." Another tear dropped, pattering sadly on her arm. "Instead, I ripped her father away from her."

"Oh, Tammy," Felix whispered, stretching out and encompassing her with a consoling embrace. Tamora remained rigid, making no move that he was even beside her. "You never know what will happen day to day. Brad isn't here, but Vanellope is and thankfully, you're here for her." He swept back the long blonde fringe revealing her tearstained cheeks and eyeliner streaking from the corners of her eyes. "Tamora Jean, please don't blame yourself. An accident is just what it says it is: an accident."

"I wish I could always protect her; keep her safe. It's the least I can do for taking her father away."

"I know, hon'." Felix cupped her face, swiping away the blackened tears with his thumbs. "I know. But it's impossible to be there every waking moment for Nelly. You're doing the best you can. You're an amazing mom. And y'know what? Ralph and I are here for Nelly as well, and we'll do our best to take care of her." He hoped she could finally understand that she didn't have to do this alone anymore. "You need to trust Vanellope and her decisions, and if this incident hasn't discouraged her from racing, then you should let her make the chose if she wants to continue to race or not."

A heavy sigh escaped Tamora's lips. "That will be hard for me to do."

"You know it's what needs to be done." Felix smiled warmly, earning a glare from his fiancée.

"I hate you sometimes."

"Naw…you love me."

Tamora rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile on her lips. "That I do, short stake."


End file.
